Biblical Reference: Matthew 13:10-40
The Sower and The Seed:
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There are those who sow Godly Seeds and those who sow Seeds of Deception and evil and there is a separation of the Godly and the unGodly. The Seed of the Word of God was Sown and yet it didn’t take root or fall on fertile soil. In other words, not all who received the seed of the Gospel became nourished by it and helped it to take a firm root deep within their souls
Let us take a look at the parables of "The Sower and The Seed; The Wheat and The Tares.
When Jesus spoke the parable of the sower and the seed, not even the disciples understood what He was saying. They had no spirit of understanding and they asked the Lord:
Why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart
is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and
have not heard them.
What is Jesus saying here? Jesus is saying that many have seen and heard the Word of God, yet they remain blinded and deaf to it. Why? Because their hearts have become hardened and they care not for their very souls but only that which they can see and touch and can give them immediate pleasure or satisfaction. They close their eyes and cover their ears to the things that really matter and refuse to listen or even believe in the things of God that are far more important to their very soul and eternal life. They have no faith or chose not to believe in what they can not see. They become so entrenched with the present world and the
things of the world; not realizing that it will all pass away and that they can not take it with them when they leave this world. For them, when they do leave this world, they will have accomplished nothing and their eternal souls are condemned because they turned their back on Jesus and His free gift of salvation for the pleasures and wants of this world.
Listen to the Parable of the Sower and the Seed. It is the perfect example of what we have been talking about, thus far, here.
Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower:
"When any one heareth the Word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side."
Here Jesus tells us that when a seeds of Faith and Hope and Salvation are planted in a person, they do not understand, so satan comes and steals the seeds that have been sown into that person’s heart and spirit and they remain lost because they did not take hold. The seeds that were planted then become lost by the wayside. Now let’s look at the seed that has fallen on stony ground.
"But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the Word, and anon with joy receiveth it; Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the Word, by and by he is offended."
Jesus is speaking of the ones who receive the Word with great joy but they do not let it take root deep within their spirits and hearts. Oh, it will endure for a while, but without nourishment and nuturing it will soon die. It will die at the first times of trials or persecutions by non-believers and these new hearers of the Word will back away because he is offended by the non-believers and the seeds didn’t take root deep in their spirits. He/she has not become rooted in the Word and Spirit of God, so the slightest persecution or trial that they have to confront will cause those seeds that were planted to wither an die. Why? Because they are afraid to take a stand and satan has once again convinced them that the world is more important than their very souls. Now let’s take a look at what happens to the seeds that fall into thorny places.
"He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the Word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the Word, and he becometh unfruitful."
We see here that they hear the Word, but have chosen to put the pleasures and their wants in this world over everything else. The riches of the world consume them and kill the very seeds of God’s Word that were planted in them.For all the riches and pleasures of this world they may have or achieve it will all be for naught. They are unfruitful in the kingdom of God and all their "good works and deeds" mean nothing when they stand before God if they have not become rooted in the Word of God and have received the Gift of Salvation that God gave them when he sacrificed His only begotten son and that Jesus died for. Oh, sure they
reap the earthly fruits of their labor here on earth, but what of the fruits of their labor for Christ and their eternal soul? There is none and they will forever remain lost to the Kingdom of God.But what of the seed that falls on good ground?
"But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the Word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty."
For those who hear and receive the Word of God and His free gift of Salvation; the seeds that have been planted and will grow and flourish a hundred fold or sixty or even thirty. Why? Because they have become so firmly rooted in the Word of God and with the Joy of knowing God that they will spread the Word of God to all who will listen. Thies become the fruits of the Kingdom of God and their fruits. They understand the Word of God and they speak it to others. The things of this world take a
back seat to the things of heaven. They discover that true joy comes from being able to put J-esus first, O-thers second and Y-ourself last.
But what of those who claim to know God and those who really do? How do we distinguish the difference between the two? First, in I John 4:1-6,we are told how to tell if someone is of God. Listen to what it says:
"Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the
world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every
spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye
have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them:
because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and
the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we
the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error."
Secondly, The Lord speaks of what will happen to these False Prophets and those who refuse to hear and accept the Word of God and his free Gift of Salvation. Listen to the parable of the Wheat and the Tares.
The Wheat and the Tares:
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Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants
said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Here again we see that when the good seed of the Word of God is sown it produces good fruit. But like the Wheat, whose seeds were sown, so were the weed (tares) sown. They both grew and flourished in the very same field; but with one major difference. The Wheat produced good fruit, while the Tares(weeds) did not. Yet they grew and flourished more rapidly than did the Wheat. Why? To answer that, we must first be able to understand what is the Wheat and what is the tares (weeds).
The Wheat are those who have heard the Word of God and spread it toothers and flourished. The Tares (weeds) are those who heard the Word of God, but chose to ignore or deny it and they produced more bad fruits and didn’t grow and flourish in the light of God and his Word. Yet God has allowed them to grow together so He will know truly who is of the Wheat and who is of the tare. The Harvest time of God is upon us and he will send the reapers to separate the Wheat (His People) from the tare
(Satan’s people). He will instruct the reapers to gather together the tares first and bind them in bundles to burn them. (this is occurs at the Great White Throne of Judgement). Then He will gather His wheat into His barn (God’s people unto His Kingdom) where we shall live and reign with Him.
So what does this all have to do with the Sower and The Seed? Plenty ! Take a good look at the two parables. Both of Them tell of those who are of God and produce Good Fruit for the Kingdom. Both of them tell of those who refused to listen or take the Word of God to their hearts and produce no fruit or bad fruit. Both of them tell you the end result of what happens to those who produce Good Fruit and of those who do not. even in the next three parables, they all speak of the same result in the end.
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field: Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened. All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them: That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.
Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field. He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.
When you consider these five parable and how they all speak of the same things, would it not be wise to reconsider the Kingdom of God as opposed to the Eternal Lake of Fire in Satan’s domain? Would it not be better to serve God and produce the Good Fruit, than to serve Satan in his hell and produce Bad or No Fruit? Time is running out for this world and all of
God’s people know it and can feel it.
Here are ten things to ponder:
(1) Are you just going to go on your merry little way without God and
face the penalty because of it?
(2) Are you willing to really take stock yourself, your life and your
pride and arrogance and see that without God you are nothing, You
really have nothing and in the end will pay the Highest Price
Possible for it?
(3) Will you Consider all this and Give God a chance to show you What a
Real life in Him can Be?
(4) Are you Willing to Throw off the old things of this world and put on
the white robes of the Kingdom of God, so you can be blessed and
receive the promise of Eternal life?
(5) Are you Willing to confess before God that you are a Sinner and you
Need his forgiveness ?
(6) Are you willing to Accept God into your heart and life and receive
the gift of Salvation and Eternal life instead of Eternal Damnation?
(7) Are you so willing to face Eternity far removed from God’s love and
the reunion of your family members who are of God?
(8) Are you so willing to spend eternity in the Lake of Fire with satan,
forever remembering that your family is in heaven and you in the
Lake of Fire, forever remembering and reliving all the sinful things
you have done in this life, suffering in eternal and never-ending
torment, knowing that you chose that over God and heaven and you
have no more chance for redemption?
(9) Are you willing to stand before God and hear him send you away with
the words "I Know you Not"? (Matthew 25:12; Luke 13:25,27)
(10) Are you so convinced that there is no God or that Satan is the
answer, that come judgement day and you finally see what heaven is
all about and what you missed by the choice that you made ?
Ponder all these in your heart and I pray that you will re-consider you life here and your eternal life. I pray that you will consider God as the answer for your troubled life and receive His blessings and accept Him into your hearts, so all of God’s people can share with you the joy of eternal life! In Romans 3:23 it says; "For all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God." In John 3:16 we are reminded of this: "For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten so that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life". In John 14:6 Jesus says, "I am the way, the truth and the life and no man cometh unto the Father but by me." Finally in John 3:3-8,when Jesus was speaking Nicodemus:
"Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of
God. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb,
and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into
the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I
said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell
whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit."
